Terrorism Only Prevails Against the Timid

By Christopher G. Adamo

In the wake of the hideous beheading murder of Paul Johnson, the Saudi Arabian government struck back forcefully by killing several high-level al Qaeda operatives. Such rapid and decisive action begs the question, “If the Saudi government was able to take several of the murderers out on a moment's notice once it decided to do so, why weren't they eliminated in the days or weeks prior to Johnson's murder?”

The answer to the question, unfortunately, is that Saudi officials were not responding to the moral outrage of the situation, but rather to its economic fallout. In the wake of the Johnson beheading, foreigners have been leaving Saudi Arabia in droves, believing that they lack sufficient government protection from future attacks. Thus the government is compelled to display its ability to maintain a safe haven for non-citizens who are crucial to that nation's industry and economy. Only the “almighty dollar” was able to prompt Saudi leadership to overcome its fear of terrorist backlash and deal resolutely with seditious al Qaeda members.

Though al Qaeda has been temporarily shaken, this pattern of reaction is the very thing the terrorist organization, and terrorists in general, bank on. Halfhearted responses from an overly cautious government have allowed terrorists to determine the unfolding of events to their greatest advantage. As nations recoil from gruesome barbarism, but do not retaliate, the organization is only emboldened and encouraged.

Despite the caterwauling of liberals that the “ Arab Street ” would rise up in outrage against U.S. actions in Afghanistan and Iraq , reality still predominates, even in the minds of Islamist national leaders throughout the Middle East . Though their hatred of the West is no less intense than it ever was, neither do any of them want to step up to the plate and be the next regime to share the fate of the Taliban or Bathists. The actions of Moammar Khadafy in Libya stand as inarguable proof of this.

Along the way, the terrorists have occasionally achieved sufficient victories to encourage them to continue the fight. Conversely, intelligence gained during interrogation of al Qaeda members since 9-11 clearly indicated that the terrorist organization was wholly unprepared for the magnitude of American response to the attacks. As a result, its intentions of carrying out follow-up actions were utterly thwarted. Only now, as American resolve is giving way to shameless partisan politicking by Democrats who aspire to make electoral gains this fall, has al Qaeda shown signs of sufficiently regrouping and laying the groundwork for another attack.

In Spain however, public reaction to a major terrorist attack was entirely different. Rewards for the barbaric Madrid bombings were instant and profound. Public sentiment turned from the conservative government that had supported U.S. efforts in Iraq , and the Socialist Party swept into power. This move guaranteed that Spanish forces would be withdrawn from the conflict. Thus, a major enemy of the terrorists was neutralized, and they could proceed on to other targets.

Spanish capitulation, and the message it sent to the terrorists, could only have been a motivating factor in their efforts to use South Korean businessman Kim Sun-Il as a bargaining chip in order to prevent the South Korean government from sending several thousand civilian and military personnel into Iraq . South Korea 's refusal to change its plans resulted in the beheading of Kim Sun-Il. The proper response, in the wake of that horrific event, would be a resolute counterattack to convince the terrorists of the futility of any repeats of the atrocity.

The grimness of recent terrorist actions makes it understandable that many would wish only to turn from them and avoid any future recurrences. Reality and past experience however, prove that no such retreat exists from those who would use brutality and intimidation in order to dominate not only their own region, but the entirety of civilization.

Dire predictions of an upcoming terrorist event of enormous magnitude in the United States , regardless of liberal/Democrat efforts to undermine their significance, suggest that some at least among this nation's present leadership understand the methods Islamist operatives consider to be successful in altering the direction of a country. An effective defense is necessary, but by itself is altogether insufficient to maintain the integrity of the nation's borders. It never worked for the Saudis. Only a proactive effort to pursue the terrorists will ever be adequate to keep their hideous activity from once again becoming a nightmare on the streets of America .

Growing up during the turbulent decades of the ‘60's and ‘70's, Christopher  Adamo saw, to his dismay, the nation's moral foundations being destroyed  before his very eyes. But even then he was a staunch Conservative at heart,  and rejected outright the tenets of America's counterculture revolution.

 After a hitch in the Air Force, where he specialized in airborne  electro- optical systems, he pursued a career in the field of aerospace,  working for major defense contractors in California, Florida, and Colorado. But his career plans abruptly changed during the industry-wide downsizing that followed the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Presently he is working in the field of industrial instrumentation in the state of Wyoming. Concurrently, he has become involved in that state's political process, attending state GOP conventions as a delegate, and serving as a member of the Wyoming Republican Central Committee. He has also aided in the candidacies of local legislators and state senators, as well as a U.S. Senator and Congresswoman.

From 1993 to 1996, he edited and wrote for “The Wyoming Christian”, the state newsletter for Christian Coalition of Wyoming. During that period, he developed an acute awareness of the harm being done to Conservatism by liberal activists within the Republican Party as well as the Democrats. This remains a favorite theme of his articles, which now appear as a regular feature on GOPUSA.